Feather-plucking device



Nov. 26, 1929. J. DUNNER' 1,737,225

FEATHER PLUGKING DEVICE A Filed Jan. 21. 1928 5 Sl'zeets--Sh'evet` l l I l 54- './*--70 6 50 704.67 E E n ,2E E? i i? /9 3% E \/6 I I I n/ jf Jaz/05 z//wYf/ am* @EM-wm@ Nov. 26, 1929.

J. DUNNER FEATHER PLUCKING DEVICE 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 21. 1928 fly. 2

Nov.-Y 26, 1929. J. DUNNER I 1,737,225

' FEATHER PLUCKING DEVICE Filed Jan. 21; 1928 5 sheets-sheet 5 a@ w; www

NOV. 26, 1929. 1 DUNNER 1,737,225

FEATHER PLUCKING DEVI CE Filed Jan. 2 1. 192e 5 sheets-sheet 4 Suva/nto:

Nov. 26, 1929. J. DUNNER FEATHER PLUCKING DEVICE Filed Jan. 21, 1928 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Nov. 26, 1929 PATENT OFFICE JULIUS DUNNER, `F YORK, N. Y.

FEATHER-IPLUCKING DEVICE Application filed January 21, 1928. Serial No. 248,312.

This invention relates to machinery for plucking the feathers of birds, particularly chickens and other poultry and has among its objects the provision of a device lof this general character in which an improved arrangement of rotating plucking rollers is supplied which makes for compactness, simplicity of construction, and permits utilization ofthe maximum amount of space in the machine for the plhcking operation.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a device of the character set forth, in which an improved cleaning and brushing means coacts withlthe rollers.

Another object of the invention is the production of a device of the type specified, in

which an improved guide or comb receives and guides the feathers to the rollers.

"A still further object of the invention is to furnish a device of the species mentioned, in which a suction fanis arranged to coact with the parts aforesaid to rapidly draw the feathers through the device and remove them for storage in a proper receptacle.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a device of the nature described, in which various features of adjustability are incorporated, with a view to rendering the operation of the machine as smooth and effective as possible. f

With these and other objects in view, as

will more fully appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists in certain. constructions, arrangements and combinations of the parts that I shall hereinafter fully describe and claim; y

For a full understanding of the invention, reference is to be had tothe following description and accompanyingdrawings in which, l

Fig. 1 is a vertical section of the device embodying-the invention.

Fig.- 2 is a front elevation of the same.

Fig. 3 is a vertical section of the device taken at right angles to that of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of. details of in.- vention.

Fig. part of the machine frame with cert-ain parts 50 removed.

5 is a fragmentary vdetail view of a' Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the device, completely assembled,

Figi?" is a fragmentary detail view of a part of the drive.

Referring in detail to the drawings, 10 denotes a device, embodying the invention. Said device includes a plucker 11, mounted on a table 12.- On the underside ofthe table top is suspended a suction fan-13 in communication With the plucker. The said'l fan discharges the feathers drawn by it through the plucker into a receptacle or bag 14. A motor 15 drives both the fan and the plucker by means of any suitable connections.l

The plucker 11 includes a casing 16 which is arranged to be substantially air tight eX- cept as'v hereinafter set forth. Said casing includes a tubular portion 17 at its lower end, connected to the table at an opening 18 thereof by means of an angle or .flanged portion 19. At its upper end, the said casing enlarges at 20 to house the plucking mechanism and at its top, may be provided with a hinged cover 21 for inspection' and adjustment of said mechanism. The sides 22 of the casing are preferably formed of a heavy Wall construction to provide suitable mountings or bearings, that will be described hereinafter, and these side walls my consist of castings. At the said portions 20 of the casing a front opening 23 is provided which extends horizontally from side to lside of the casing as may be seen in Fig. 2. Disposed exteriorly of said opening is a comb 24 having teeth extending upward across said opening. Saidteeth may be madelike wedges to effectively receive and guide the feathers on the body of a bird laid up against the said comb and moved vertically with respect to the comb. The comb may have a back 25 eX- tending between the side walls 22 and formed with a shoulder 26 at the base of the 'prongs to form a rest for the feathers ensuring an easier plucking action.

Internally of the opening 23, are disposed the horizontal rollers 27, 28, the former being above the other and set somewhat inward of "the other. The rollers are normally incontact with one another, they preferably are smooth, but may be grooved longitudinally 100 l to form a gripping surface. lThe rollers exf tend from one side wall 22vto the opposite side wall, so that the fullwidth of the machine is utilized for plucking feathers.

The roller 28 is provided with trunnions 2 9 set in the fixed bearings 30 in the `side walls 22.

Its companion roller 27 is movably mounted to provide. space for feathers received'between the rollers, and its trunnions 31 are .accordingly mounted in bearings 32 formed in movable carriers 33.

The side walls. 22 may be formed with an integral cross wall or iange 34 on which the said carriers may be pivotally mounted.

- Specifically, a pair of hinge plates 35, resting on filler plates 36, are secured to the member '34 by screws 37. The said hinge'plates are slotted at 38, and washers 39y seat over the slots, so that the hinge members are adjustable to set the roller 27 at'any desired distance from the opening '23.' The carrier members 33v are'connected to the hinge plates at 40. The former are likewise slotted at 41, to receive bolts 42threaded into the member 34 at 43. 4Taking around the bolts 42 are coil Vsprings 44 acting between the vheads of the bolts and washers 45 that seat over the slots 4,1. It is thus seen that the action of springs -44 is to cause roller 27 to be pressed snugly toward roller 28.

rlhe carrier members 33 extend into cutouts 46 formed in the side walls 22, the said cutouts being of ample size to permit the required pivotal movement of the carriers 33, v ,the said carriers 33 are of angle form in cross be formed with bristles, 0r felt, or the like.

The upper` brush is set into a holder 51 secured to the underside of the'member 34 by screws 52. The saidholder consists of a pairv of plates 253 at the sides of the brushes and embracing a filler member 54. Slots'55 extend through the said holder to receive the screws 52, and suitablewashers 56 may coact. It is intended that when the screws 52 are tightened in adjusted position, the brush 49 may be slidably retained for actuation toward the roller 27 by coil spring 57 acting between the filler 54 and the back of thev said brush. Guide means for the brush includes pins or screws 58 passing through the back of the brush and through slots 59 in the plates 53.

The brush is set'into a holder 60 of gen- The thickness of the porlerally similar construction, but which is .dif-

fed forward. To support the holder 60' yagainst a tendency to rotate, lugs 67 may be cast on the side walls 22 to slidably engage the said holder.

rIhe drive for the rollers 27, 28 includes a pair of meshing gears 68, 69 mguntedon the trunnions or stub shafts 31 and 29`res'pectively. A large gear 70 meshes with a gear 7 0a, which in turn meshes with'the gear 68, and is mounted on a stub shaft 71 journaled in any suitable manner in the adjacent side wall 22. A grease box 67 encloses the said gears.

The stub 71 has on its free end a sprocket wheel 7 3=external of u the said grease box. A chain 74 extends from the said sprocket wheel tol suitable drive mechanism preferably below the table 12.

The motor 15 is connected by means of a belt 75 with a pulley 76 on the fan shaft 77.

A worm gear -7 8 on said fan shaft meshes with a gear 7 9 mounted on a shaft 80. The latter is journaled in a bearing 81 whichmay be on any suitable support, as for example, the casin of the fan. Asprocket wheel 82 on the s aft engages the claim 74. Thus the rollers 27, 28 are driven from the fan shaft.

It will be apparent now nthat on starting the motor, the rollers of the plucker will ro- .tate to engage and pluck thereinto the feathers of the chicken or other bird. The air stream drawn through the opening 23 by the fan will, in conjunction with the brushes, quickly and` effectively sweep the feathers downward. The said feathers willv pass 'through the duct 83 into the fan casing through the central opening 84 thereof, and thence through the outlet 85 into the bag 14. The fan is of ample size to insure the movement ofthe feathers therefrom, no matter how large, so that a smooth and un-` broken operation of the device 1() is obtained.

Changes and variations may be made in the construction of .the parts within the limits of the claims without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

What I claim as new is:

1. A feather plucking machine, having a pair of coacting, rotatable, gripping rollers, and a comb in proximity to said rollers, said comb including a shoulder at the base of the teeth for supporting the feathers that are fed through the comb to the rollers.

2. In a device of the character described having a pair of rotatable rollers for gripping feathers therebetween and a comb adjacent to the rollers for guiding the feathers thereto, said conib having triangularly shaped teeth being Wider at the base and pointed at the outside free end to guide the feathers therebetween, side the base of the teeth to rest the feathers thereon.

Signed at New York, in the county of New York and State ot' New York, this 10th day of January, A. D. 1928.

JULUS DUNNER.

and a shoulder along-1 l 

